Ramaphosa Responds to the New Trump Tariffs by Lifting 30% on South African Imports

Pretoria, the only sub-Saharan nation on the list, is also the focus of the most recent round of trade penalties imposed by the Trump administration, which South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has resisted.
The White House action follows the U.S. government’s announcement on Monday that it would postpone the implementation of some of its most stringent import duties, which it levied on countries worldwide in April, among other measures. Nonetheless, on the same day, letters outlining new, higher tariffs were sent to 14 nations, including South Africa, South Korea, and Japan.
“South Africa maintains that the 30% reciprocal tariff is not an accurate representation of available trade data,” the South African presidential office said in a statement released on Tuesday. According to our analysis of the trade statistics at our disposal, the average tax on imported products entering South Africa is 7.6%. Crucially, 77% of US goods enter the South African market with 0% tax, while 56% of goods enter at 0% most-favoured-nation tariff.
“South Africa will continue with its diplomatic efforts towards a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship with the United States,” the Pretoria statement added.
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